Adjustable train-pipe connecter



Oct. 30, 1928.

E. A. ROBINSON ADJUSTABLE TRAIN PIPE CONNECTER Filed Oct. 4. 1920 2, Sheets-Shee't INVEN'I OR. lfdwzzrmohiwam 1,689,96Qf E. A. ROBINSON ADJUSTABLE TRAIN PIPE CONNECTER Filed Oct. 4' 2 Sheets-Sheet INVENTbR. ffimpififiohwam ATTORNEY.

rammed a. 30, 1928.

UNITED STATES PA ENT-OFFICE;

EDWARD A. ROBINSON, oF- MONTREAL, cANAnajAssrenoR TO HIMSELF Ann ELLISON EDWARD \VQRKMAN, OF MONTR AL, CANADA.

a of Figure 1 taken upon lines 2-'2 and 3- 3 ADJUSTABLE TRAIN-PIPE CONNECTEiR- Application filed October 4, 1920. Serial No. 414,517.

My invention relates to conuecters of the type that are used to unite train hose on pascoupled position of a trainconnecter head with respectto the coupling plane.

A further purpose is to provide a connecter which is yieldingly supported backof the bracket and whose buffer spring is adjust able n its position withrespect to the head to adjust the plane of the head.

A further piirpose is tosupport the head directly from the buffer springbehind the bracket;

A further purpose is to utilize the end of a butler spring as the limit of adjustment;

mounting thehead upon the spring at a short distance from the end for thispurpose,

A further purpose isto cushion the forward (retractive) movement of the head which bringsthe head back to its normal plane 111 disuse when itis released from engagement with another head. I

A further purpose is to mount the head upon a carrier preferably in the form of a yoke which is clamped upon the bufferspring. A further purpose is to mount the head upon a guide cooperating with the support-' ing bracket and to provide the guide with an adjustable stop to engage with the rear of the bracket. p

A further purpose is to connect the rear of thebuffer spring withthe bracket by a ball and socket j oint and to support the head from the spring.

Further purposes will appear intlie specie fication and in the claims. c y p l I prefer to illustrate my invention by but one form among the many in which it maybe presented, selecting a form which is practical, eflicient, simple, reliable and inexpensive and which at the same time well illustratesthe principles of my invention.

Figure l is a sideelevationof a connecter and bracket embodying this preferred form of my invention.

Figures 2 and Figure 4 is a section of Figure 3 taken upon for the head in its preferred form as a yoke.

like parts.

3 are fragmentary sections Figureti a fragmentary perspective of the lower end of the mountingbracket.

Figure 7 is a rear end elevation of aportion of the bracket. Y

spring tie rod. v r i 1 ;In the drawings similar numerals ndicate In. an automatic train pipe con necter,

I whether for the three hose connections usual for passenger cars or for the one or two hose l connectionsused for freight cars, to all of which my invention is adapted, the desiderata have been cons dered to be roughly; strength,

flexibility, and normal maintenance in pos tion for engagement. Many connectors have been proposed having these features to varyin-g degrees but they have lacked in adjustability to correct for fault ysetting, for wear of the connecter parts or of the coupling and l for distortion.

Efforts have been made to adjust worn connecter heads and to correct errors in placing of new connecter heads bywedging the bracket forward withrespect to the car memher to which it is attached. These havebeen unsuccessful. both because the range offad; ustment 1s lnsui'hcient and because the cant or tilt thus given toth'e face tlie-connecter f is objectionable.

My i Wention is" designedto secure'th long tudinal adjustment which these'pr or.

workers ignored or attempted disadvimtaa geously and also to support the head resilient;

ly in a predeterminedplane withgreat flexibility of movement about a center far enough a back from the head to give the head apredeterin1ned proper radius of movement, to

provide equal flexibility in allplanes; to make I the adjustment ofthe plane of the front face:

of the head by accessible and reliable means 1 '95 a,

locatedbehind the supporting bracket and to cushion the return. or replacing movement I we incident to engagement of the mating heads. Describing the constructlon shown :by way of the head, preferably by the same buifergj" spring which is used: to take the COIDPIGSSIOIIQ bracket is sloped real-wardly and its position is selected with a view to giving any predetermined spacing between the face of the head and the pivotal point about which the head turns.

My bracket is flanged along one edge as at 14 to give additional strength and rigidity to the block 15 at its lower end.

This block is provided with a seat, rest or stop 16 at the rear for a cooperating struc ture which moves with the head. As the cooperating member in the present case is a spring, the seat is made to receive the front face of the spring and this face is preferably ground to a plane transverse to the axis of the sprin To prevent side movement an annular shoulder 17 is formed coaxial with the spring about the middle of the seatand preferably inside the spring to tit the spring; and the shoulder is tapered to guide the end of the spring into this seat.

At the-front of the block a hemispherical socket 19 is formed within which the head lies. It is provided with an aperture in the center at 20. In the illustration the socket 19 is placed within an annular recess 21 re sultin in the placing of the socket more nearly in the center of the block than would other wise be the case, but this is not necessary and in some cases would not be desirable.

The portion of the block in front of the opening 20 is flared in truncated cone form at 22 in order to give side play to the rod 23 whose ball head 2% fits the socket.

The block is made wider at the rear than at the front in order to give clearance to permit turning of the parts at curves.

The front end of the spring 25 rests against the seat 16 in normal position of disuse of the connecter and is tightly pressed against it by means of the tie-rod and a tubular tie-rod nut 26 which is flanged at 27 to engage with the spring.

The head 28 is provided with the usual horns 29 and terminals 30 for hose connections; Three are here shown, corresponding in number and position to the connections for passenger cars. They are shown conventionally as my present invention has nothing to do with the character of the hose connections, and any type of these, old or now, may be used with the head.

The head is mounted upon a carrier 31, which is illustrated as in the form of a yoke having legs 32 and 33, turned at their ends at 34 where they are secured to the head back of the respective horns by any fastenings, such as bolts.

At the rear the legs connect with a mount, here illustrated as a clamp in the form of a coupling, split at 36 and tightened by bolt 37 to grip the spring 25. To insure better gripping contact, the clamp is internally threaded to correspond in pitch with the spring It may correspond in interior contour with the said spring or as shown, may have acme stand ard threads to pinch the spring at the sides or other wedging threads as dcs ed, with the purpose and intent that the spring may be threaded through the clamp to project forwardly through the other end of the clamp to any desired extent and may he clamped in ad justed position by the tightening of bolt 37 or by other suitable gripping or clamping action.

As shown in Figure 1 the portion 38 of the spring projecting in advance of the clamp rests upon the seat 16 and determines the extent of projection of the head in advance of the bracket-representing any fixed car portion-so that further screwing of the spring through the clamp will draw the head rearwardly and unscrewing of the spring to withdraw it rearwardly will project the head for wardly. Not only can adjustment be made to any desired total extent but line graduatitms of adjustment can be secured by small angular adjustment of the spring within the clamp; with the result that both major and minor adjustments of the position of the head may be obtained to any maximum corrcspoiuh ing in forward position with the engagement of the clamp with the rear face of the bracket block.

Not only does this forwardly projecting portion of the spring alford adjustment and a stop for the retractive return movement of the head after it has been pressed back by the cooperating head of another car, but this portion 38 of the buffer spring acts also as a cushion to take up the jar of this rcti'actirc head movement, reducing the shock upon the bracket and increasing the life of the device.

As will be seen the clamp 35 and come quently the head 27 swing with the spring in any direction about the center of the spherical head 24 and to any extent permitted by the sides of the conical opening 2:2.

In order to guide retract-ire movement of the head under the influence of the spring against improper lateral movei'nent, the back of the block 15 is given a width. nearly equal to the spacing between the inner facing surfaces 39 and 40 of the legs 32 and 33 at the rear, but the sides of the block are tapered, curved or otherwise reduced, as at 41, so as to permit turning of the carrier to :mcommodate the curves in the track.

Vertical turning of the carrier, here shown as a yoke, is provided for at the same time that guidance of rctractivo movement of the spring in this direction also is insured, by guides 42 and 43 upon the sides of the block fitting within the slots 44; and 45, which are formed between the rear portions 46 and 47 of the legs and forwardly projecting prongs l8 and 49. As I prefer to stagger the feet 3i of the legs to opposite sides of the head. the position of the rear ends 46 and 7 of the legs requires that one of them shall be bent downwardly Inn tightened as before.

binding of the head clamp is set.

The lateral tractive movement of the clamp and spring, reseating the end of the spring after it has been pressed rearwardly by. engagement of the head with an opposing head, secure a positiveness and reliability of operation difficult of attainment Where dependence is placed upon the tension of the spring.

The head is mounted upon the spring at an intermediate point giving resilient movement in any CllIGCtlOIl even Without movement of the tie rod. As thus mounted, it is free to rock upon the spring as stated and also to swing as the spring swings.

In assemblage, the bracket is placed in position and the carrier, with or without the head 1 mounted upon it, is clamped upon the spring. The tie rod 15 placed in posltion and thecarrier and spring are then passed over the tierod and guide pins from the rear until the front end of the spring is seated against the rear of the bracket. The tie-rod is then ti ghtened to give the required degree of compression to the buffer spring;

In case of necessity for adjustment, the ex tent of adjustment is measured in comparison with the pitchjof the spring. nut is relaxed and the clamp of the carrier loosened, after whichthe spring is screwed through the clamp to an extent proportionate to the part of the pitch represented. by the adjusment required; The tierod is then For example, with a spring having an inch relaxed pitch a. quarter inch adjustment of the head would require a trifle more than a quarter of a turn of the spring within the clamp to take care of the reduction inpitch due to the compression of the spring.

I do not claim herein the forked yoke with internally screw threaded clamp as this broadly forms a part of the subject matter of a copending application filed by me for automatic train pipe connecters, Serial No. 355,948, filed February 3, 1920.

It will be evident that my disclosure in the structure shown will suggest to'others skilled in the art a variety of forms in which the invention may be carried out, differing because of the training, needs or whim of the individual, and I purposerincluding herein a all such variations as come within the spirit i and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new anddesire to secureby Let ters Patent 1s: a

between them when the fitting of the block between the legs, and the slot and pin guides to direct re- The tie-rod a front of the bracket.

1. In an automatic train connecter, ahead, train pipe terminals carried thereby, a carrier rigidly mounted with respect to the head, a bracket adapted to besecured to a fined car member, a buffer spring-back of the" bracket,

a tie rod holding the buffer spring and a. fass tening rigid with thecarrier and tightly engaging the spring to move with the spring.

2. In an automatic connecter, a; bracket adaptedfor engagement with a fixed car member having a seat at the bottom facing toward the rear thereof, a tie rod pivotally engaging said bracket,a spring adapted for compression by the tie rod and engaging the seat and a head mounted firmly upon the spring andcarried by it. p

3. In an automatic connecter, a bracket adapted for engagement with a fixed car mem} ber and having a seat atthe bottom facing toward the rear thereof, a tie rod pivotally engaging said bracket, aspring adapted for compression by the tie rod and engaging the seat, a head and a mount for the head terminating in a clamp adapted firmly to enthe spring tocarry the head from the spring.

4. In an automatic: connecter, a bracket adapted for engagementwith a fixed car memberand having a seat at the bottom facing toward the rear thereof, a tie rod pivotally engaging said bracket, a spring adapted for compressionby the tie rod and engaging the seat, a head, a carrier forrthe head and a clamp for the carrier adapted for adjustable mounting of the head upon'the spring to vary the extent of projection 5. In an automatic connecter, a bracket adapted for engagement with a fixed ear member and having a'seatat the bottom facing toward therear thereof, a tie rod pivotally. engaging said bracket, a spring adapted for compression by the tie rod. and engaging the seat, a head, a carrier forthe head and a clamp rigid with the carrier adapted to engage the spring at an intermediate point and resiliently support the head from the spring at a point back of the front face of the spring. 6. In anautomatie connecter, a bracket adapted for engagement with a fixed car memher and having a seatat the bottom facing toward the rear thereof, a. tie rod pivotally engaging said bracket, a spring adapted for compression by the tie rod and engaging the seat, a head, a support for the head connected thereto, a clamp carried by the head and adapted to firmly engage the spring and 00- operating guiding mechanism between the support and bracket whereby the head is permitted to swing with respect to the bracket;

' toward the rear thereof, a tie rod pivotally of the head in V engaging said bracket, a spring adapted for compression by the tie rod and engaging the seat, a head, a yoke rigidly connected to the head and having guidingslots therein, a clamp carried by the yoke and adapted to mount the yoke upon the spring and guides carried by the bracket cooperating with the guiding slots of the yoke.

8. In an automatic connector, a bracket adapted for engagement with a fixed car member and having a seat at the bottom facing toward the rear thereof, a. spring engaging said seat and a head resiliently mounted upon the spring and having a resilient buffer between the mount and the bracket removed from engagement with the bracket in use of the head and relieving the jar of the mount against the bracket when the head is projected by the s n-mg.

S). In an automatic connector, a bracket adapted for engagement with a fixed car member and having a. seat at the bottom facing toward the rear thereof, a buffer spring and tie d connected therewith, a head mounted upon the spring and spacing means between the mount and the bracket adjustable to vary the forward extension of the head.

10. In an automatic connecter, a bracket a "lapted for engagement with a fixed car member and having a seat at the bottom facing toward the rear thereof, a buffer spring carried by the bracket and av head mounted upon the spring and adjustable at a point behind the bracket to vary the extension of the head.

11. In an automatic connecter, a bracket adapted for engagement with a fixed car member and having a seat at the bottom facing toward the rear thereof, a butter spring carried hr the bracket, a head and a mount for the head upon the spring adjustable in its position to vary the extent of projection of the head.

12. In an automatic connector, a bracket adapted for engagement with a fixed car memher, a buffer spring carried by the bracket at the r 111' thereof and a head mounted as a nut upon the butter spring.

13. In an automatic connecter, a bracket adapted for engagement with a fixed car mcmher, a butter spring carried by the bracket at the rear thereof and a. head mounted as a nut upon the butter spring and adapted to be clamped upon the spring at adjustable dis tances behind the bracket.

M. In an automatic connector, a bracket adapted for engagement with a fixed car member, a head located in advance of the bracket, a yoke connected with the head and extending around the bracket, a spring engaging with the rear of the bracket, and supporting the rear portion of the yoke, a butter spring behind the yoke and a tire rod connecting the lower end of the bracket and the butter spring.

15. In an automatic connectcr, a bracket adapted for engagement with a fixed car member, a butter spring and tie rod connected with the bracket and a head mounted upon the buffer spring at a point intermediate the ends of said spring.

16. In an automatic connector, a bracket adapted for engagement with a fixed car member, a butler spring and tie rod connected pirotally with the bracket and a head mounted upon the butter spring at a point intermediate the ends of said spring and adapted to swing with the rod and spring.

17. In an automatic connector, a bracket adapted for engagement with a fixed car member, a butter spring seated against the rear of the bracket and extending rearwardly therefrom and a tie rod support from the bracket for the other end of the sprin EDWARD A. iaoninson. 

